[QUOTE="ShenlongBo"]

So, we're six days into the Ground Up Project. How's everyone feeling about it so far? I don't have a lot of time at this exact moment (just stopping in for lunch), but I plan on writing up a first-week synopsis of my Gen experience when I come home from work. Just the basics... initial thoughts, how I feel about it now, what I've learned, and so on.

LikeHaterade

My previous post should answer your question.

So, we're six days into the Ground Up Project. How's everyone feeling about it so far? I don't have a lot of time at this exact moment (just stopping in for lunch), but I plan on writing up a first-week synopsis of my Gen experience when I come home from work. Just the basics... initial thoughts, how I feel about it now, what I've learned, and so on.

Martial, my friend, you did good tonight. Yeah, I had like double the wins, but that's not the point. The point is, when you DID win, it was because you said "**** this ****," you took charge, and you came and GOT your wins. That's exactly what I was hoping to get out of you. That's exactly what the Ground Up Project is all about. Good stuff. I can't wait to see how things unfold. In a month, you ain't gonna run from ****.

Ah man, I need to get some matches going with you guys... So far I'm making some progress with Seth, but I got to work on my defense to be almost impenetrable with this guy...

martialbullet

Before I go, though, just a word of advice: remember the point of the project and the point of your pick. Sometimes the best defense is an overwhelming offense. Seth is more than capable of bringing the pain. So bring it.

Here are a few of our matches, for starters. I think I forgot to compress the 5th one, because it's taking a freakin' long time to upload. It might be because it was a long, close, five-round match, though. Not sure. Anyway, the other matches (I'd estimate a dozen or so more) are en route.

Abel wins:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enOgOdljXNU&feature=channel_page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3_mbk46snY&feature=channel_page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tO0fbmgMg4&feature=channel_page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sd16YS7lr9E&feature=channel_page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzDBM7UazN8&feature=channel_page

Gen wins:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ojzw9gWF0Fw&feature=channel_page

That 5th match failed to upload after all, so I'm just skipping it. Unfortunate, too, as it was actually a Gen victory in a close match. Looking at this list, it looks like I just got my ass kicked all night. Ah well. There are more vids on the way, with a few more Gen wins.

I've been practicing with C.Viper. My execution needs some work if I'm going to have any success with her. Ah well, so it goes. Using her is fun, though; she might be a keeper once my execution improves.

King9999

Before I begin...GGs SLB!

You see, I took on Shenlongbo last night. His Gen against my Abel. Some of the matches, I believe, were recorded on his side, so I think he'll be putting them up when he gets the chance. He won more of the matches than I did, but I also won a few, so it's all good. We are now at the point of where we know how the other works. It was a lot of fun last night and I'm looking forward to hearing what you guys thought of our matches. I know that my Abel is going to be a work in progress, but it was definitely improving, thanks to SLB giving me a few pointers.

There were some spots, in the match, where I was trying to do one move, but the game thought I was doing another. Manipulation, as I called it while SLB laughed. It was a great time for us both and I look forward to doing it again. It's gonna be really funny to look at these videos, one month later, and go "Man, what were we thinking!" Fun times!

Metamania

From what I can tell, you're doing really well so far with Abel. I get the impression you're putting more stock into feeling your way through this project than simply going online, looking for "the right way" to play the character, and trying to emulate it. In my humble opinion, that is THE way to learn a character. Going online and watching the pros/good players who know their characters inside out is a great way to learn some tricks you might not have otherwise unearthed yourself. Sure. But actually doing the legwork yourself, getting in there and taking your beatings while finding your own winning strategies is ten times as important. You have to have a foundation before you can build, and I think you're putting that foundation down very nicely.

Then again, maybe simply emulating the pros works for other players *shrug*. I happen to not be talented enough for that, so I have to take a while - at least a couple of days - fumbling about before I really try to apply too much "advanced" stuff. Notice how many times I missed s.MK xx hands? In a ROW? lol... it'll come with time.

Oh, and don't be so humble. I think I walked away with one, maybe two more wins last night, but you knocked me around a lot (totally took advantage of my love for being thrown repeatedly, lol). You did good, man. Also, I think Capcom's decision to include shortcut inputs is largely to blame for those moments of wonky execution you were having. Once you're to the point with Abel that "time slows down," (you'll understand what I mean later, if you don't already), then I think you'll iron that little wrinkle out, though.

Anyway, ggs. I'm off to start uploading.

EDIT (not that I haven't already written a freakin' novel here, lol): I watched a few of our matches last night before I crashed. Between me getting all tied up in knots about which stance I was in, trying to do moves that Gen doesn't even HAVE, and just flat FAILING to do the right moves even when I did happen to get them started, I already had enough to laugh and sigh at, lol. Trust me, after a month, we're going to watch these vids, and be like, "dude! No, dammit... why did I suck at this?!" Good times.

*head spins*

Just got done with my first player matches as Gen. I managed to win 3 out of 5 against some low-level Ken/Ryu/Guile player. With any of my other characters, I would have ran straight through this dude. With Gen... not so much.

On the plus side, I'm already to the point where I realize what I want to do in certain situations. I still haven't ingrained the reactions, but that comes with time. I find myself shifting between stances pretty seamlessly, and I have a fairly good idea of what options are available to me in each, for the most part. Gen's an interesting character who might lend himself to a creative playstyle, and I like that. Then again, he might must be all about medium kick xx hands (which I learned how to do off a YouTube tutorial). We shall see.

[QUOTE="ShenlongBo"]

[QUOTE="LikeHaterade"]

Just let me know when. We'll get a match going with Sim vs Gen.

Metamania

[QUOTE="ShenlongBo"]

Quick notes real... uh... quick.

*ahem*

So far, I haven't had all that much time to dig in, but the time I did spend with Gen was cool. I just took him into arcade mode, and then took him back through his first 8 or so trials. I find it's better for me to learn a character "organically" before I learn the supposed "right" and "wrong" things with them. This helps me to have that control over the character I need to start playing them like an instrument later on down the line. That'll be especially important with a character like Gen, as I will want to have a visceral sense for what moves are available to me at what times, how, when, and why to change stances, and so on. I haven't been able to figure out how to cancel s.mk into hands, for some reason, but if I don't figure it out on my own, there's always SRK.

This is the last weekend before the tournament I'm hosting, so I'll be spending today, and probably a lot of tomorrow, passing out fliers, assembling my tournament directors, and coordinating with Hastings on some last-minute logistics. I also have my kids this weekend, so that might slow my SFIV time down, if not squash it out entirely. They may hang out with the neighbors, though, so if they do that, I'll get on tonight for some practice and teh hyp3.

I think, at the very least, I'll post up a video blog tomorrow just to start chronicling the project. If possible, I want to get on with you guys and get some beginning-of-the-month footage that we can compare with end-of-the-month footage.

LikeHaterade

Just let me know when. We'll get a match going with Sim vs Gen.